Best Wheeled Cooler Reviews 2018

A wheeled cooler is an easy way to transport your food and drinks from your home to the point where the fun is going to happen. You might have tried getting one and just ended up confusing yourself, or you might just be hearing about this awesome invention. Either way, you’re in the right place. We’ve rounded up what we believe to be the five brands with the best wheeled coolers out of the many brands out there. We’ve helped clear your confusion by focusing on one product from each of the brands.

Overview

PROS

CONS

SPECS

Design

Size

Capacity

Material

Handle

Our Top Choice

Picnic at Ascot Picnic Cooler

Picnic at Ascot is an American-based picnic products manufacturer. It has a unique style that promises to add that touch of class to your picnicking.

Neatly divided into food and wine sections. Detachable dividers that allow you a choice. Comes pre-packed with some picnic necessities.

The cooler tends to tip over when it’s rolled along because the wheels are too close together.

Zippered; serves 4

14.5 x 13.5 x 17.25 inches; 9 lbs

Info not provided

600D polyester

Telescopic

Best Value

Igloo Maxcold Wheelie Cooler

Igloo has been in existence since 1947 with the goal of creating products that enable the pursuit of happiness and make it possible for you to work and play hard.

How Do I Choose the Best Wheeled Cooler?

Outdoors is where it all happens. Whether you’re just lying on a hammock gazing at the stars or you’ve strapped on your backpack and boots to go hiking, the outdoors is just awesome. But no awesomeness is totally awesome without food and drinks. Now presenting to you, the wheeled cooler: all the food and drinks you want in a drag-along container. We know, right? Awesome.

With this beautiful thing, you can go camping, to the park, to outdoor concerts, to sporting events, to the beach, boating, and hiking—whatever you can do outdoors and still attend to your priority. Why not pick one and be the life of the party, or just treat that special someone (or yourself)? There’s a wheeled cooler for the correct number of people, the correct number of days, and the correct amount of chow. Through all these, your food and beverage stay cool and fresh for practically as long as you want it. What more could you ask for?

These things aren’t just fun; they’re practical too. Like how else will you move all your eatables and drinkables? In a basket? That you’ll have to carry all the way? By the time you get to your fun spot you’re exhausted, especially if you’ve packed food for an army. Get a wheeled cooler, pack your chow and utensils in neatly, then drag along like a boss without stress.

You’re almost ready to get your very own wheeled cooler. Just take these next few pieces of information and you can be outta here to go get yours.

Price

Many factors go into costing a wheeled cooler. For one, wheeled coolers have different carrying capacities. Also, they are of different sizes and even made of different materials. Unfortunately, some of them are made of not-so-quality materials, which might explain some of the cheap wheeled coolers our researchers saw in the market. We left those ones out though—we do only quality here. So, typically, a wheeled cooler costs between $30 and $600.

Features

Here are some features for you to bear in mind while making your choice of wheeled coolers.

Size

Capacity

Cold retention

Wheels

Drainage

Construction and Design

Size

In making your choice of a wheeled cooler, size is absolutely important. If you go for something that’s too big and too heavy, the purpose of a stress-free cooler will be defeated. Before choosing your cooler, check how much it weighs empty. Of course you know that if it’s heavy while empty then it will have to be stationary when it’s full. Check out the length and breadth of the cooler too. You want something that fits into the space you have, probably the boot of your car. But of course, if gigantic and massive are what you’re after, by all means go ahead.

Carrying Capacity

You should also check that the carrying capacity of the cooler matches your needs. The capacity is usually measured in quarts, which is not so different from liters. Some brands will tell you how many people the cooler can typically cater for. That is, they may say something like “service for four” all eaters eating equally. However, we think it’s better to go with the measurements due to the disparities in people’s eating capacities. You can find a cooler with as little as 12 quarts as its carrying capacity, and with carrying capacities of as high as 100 quarts.

Cold Retention

Also important is the cooler’s cold retention ability. If it can’t retain cold for a reasonable number of days, why buy it in the first place? You should be able to drag your food along with you on a 2- or 3-day journey and still have fresh food. What else is the cooler there for?

Performance and Ease of Use

Wheels

Because the essence of a wheeled cooler is, well, dragging it about, the wheels are very important. What you should look out for is dependent on where you and that cooler will likely go. If you’ll be doing a lot of hiking, climbing, and other rough things, you’ll do yourself a huge favor by getting a cooler that has wheels that are adapted for all terrains. You don’t want the wheels to fall out mid-climb and then give yourself the double trouble of hauling yourself and several pounds’ worth of food. If you’ll be going to the park or anywhere fairly smooth, the wheels might not pose so much of a challenge because most wheels can glide along smooth places.

Drainage

Another important thing that should be present in your plans is provision for drainage. Imagine after carefully packing your cooler, maybe color coordinating, you spill water in it. You’ll be so angry with yourself because you have to unpack everything to let the water out, right? Wrong. Try to get a cooler that has a drainage system. It doesn’t have to be too elaborate, just something that allows spilled water from inside the cooler to come out. The complexity or otherwise of the cooler is now up to you to decide. But at the very basic level, get a cooler that allows spilled water to flow out.

What is the Best Wheeled Cooler?

Armed with all the information we’ve given you on buying the right wheeled cooler, we are excited about and confident in whichever one you decide to go for. We’re so sure it’s the right one.

Our Top Choice

The Picnic at Ascot Picnic Cooler with Service for 4 on Wheels comes pre-packed with picnic necessities including a combination corkscrew, cheese knife, acrylic wine glasses, coordinating melamine napkins, plates, and stainless-steel flatware. If you need increased portability, then check out the Picnic at Ascot Large 36 Quart Collapsible Folding Insulated Cooler with Wheels because the entire cooler is collapsible.

Picnic at Ascot Picnic Cooler with Service for 4 on Wheels

Picnic at Ascot Wheeled Cooler 330-BLB

Features

More than 20 years ago, some Britons came over to the United States to try their hands at picnic and outdoor products. The result of this is a beautiful blend of the famous European elegance and the American spirit of adventure. This family-owned business, located in Southern California, promises you beautiful products that will make your outdoor moments more enjoyable. Adding to its unique style, Picnic at Ascot promises to give you modern convenience while you picnic without retracting from the original essence of picnics. Expert craftsmanship and innovative designs are what you should expect from every Picnic at Ascot product.

The Picnic at Ascot Picnic Cooler with service for four is sure one of them. One thing that makes this product stand out is the fact that it comes pre-packed. That is, your Picnic at Ascot Picnic Cooler comes with a combination corkscrew, cheese knife, acrylic wineglasses, coordinating 9-inch melamine plates and napkins, and stainless-steel flatware. You are saved the hassle of looking for plates, glasses, and the like that will fit properly into your cooler.

The cooler is divided into two sections; one for food and the other for wine. However, if wine space doesn’t interest you and you’d rather have more food space, worry not. The divider is actually detachable and can be folded to the back to create the extra space you want for your food. Apparently, Picnic at Ascot is into the detachable as evidenced by this product’s detachable wheeled cart and handle. Basically, just remove whatever you don’t need, provided it’s detachable. So, you’ll agree with us if we say this product is quite flexible.

It weighs 9 pounds (4.1kg) empty so it’s pretty easy to haul around. You can put all the ice you want in it and be comfortable about it because it’s leak-proof. It’s made of 600 denier polyester which is designed for extreme conditions; little wonder this product comes with a lifetime warranty. It also has a pass-through opening in the lid for you to pass bottles through. So, if all you want to keep is a bottle, no need opening the whole thing and letting precious cold air escape; just pass it through the top opening and you’ll be fine. Finally, there is this little pocket in front of the cooler that is just the perfect place to throw in your knick-knacks.

In need of a wheeled cooler that’s both stain-proof and odor-proof? We’re presenting to you this beautiful Igloo Maxcold Wheelie Cooler. This cooler is very easy to clean and almost always good to go. If you’re looking for a 3-in-1 cooler, then check out the Igloo 3-piece Camping Combo which comes with a mini cooler and beverage cooler so that there will be something for the little ones.

Igloo Maxcold Wheelie Cooler - 40 Jet Carbon Ice, Blue

Igloo Wheeled Cooler 00013023

Features

What is now known as the Igloo brand used to be a metalworking company way back in 1947. A 1.8 million square-feet, three-building facility in Texas, United States of America, is where it is currently domiciled and where all the magic that is Igloo happens. With more than 500 products in the world market, Igloo’s claim of being the number-one cooler manufacturer in the world is very believable. Its promise of quality, durability, and innovation is obviously fulfilled in its lineup of products ranging from travel mugs, water bottles, and stainless-steel tumblers to picnic baskets and wheeled coolers.

The Igloo MaxCold Wheelie Cooler is that cooler you want to have because of its extra insulation that provides a barrier to heat. Your ice, food, and beverages, Igloo guarantees, will remain chilled for as long as 5 days. So, you can go on a vacation, go hiking, or wherever—and your cold food will remain cold. It’s also stain- and odor-resistant, meaning it will neither get stained nor smell. Cleaning your cooler can’t get any faster or easier—after all, you’re not battling any tough stains or foul smells.

This cooler can carry food and beverages that, altogether, amount to as much as 40 quarts; but, on its own, it weighs just 9.5 pounds making it one easy cooler to carry or drag around. Rugged durable wheels plus swing-up tow-like handles make transportation of the coolers easier. With the wheels you can drag your cooler along any terrain and be comfortable with it because it was built for such cases.

It’s measured at 23 inches long, 13 inches wide, and 18 inches deep, has hybrid latches that are long-lasting, and stainless-steel straps that are corrosion-resistant. The product comes with a one-year warranty.

Other Igloo wheeled coolers include:

Igloo 3-piece Camping Combo: This is just perfect for that family get-together so the kids get their own mini wheeled cooler. If you decide to go on a hike with the family, this 3-piece comes with a water bottle big enough for the family.

The Igloo Ice Cube Roller Cooler: This one is shaped like a cube.

The Igloo Trail Mate Liddup Wheeled Lighted Cooler: This cooler comes with an exclusive lid up LED light system that illuminates your goodies in the dark.

Interestingly, the Pelican Elite Wheeled Cooler comes with a bear-resistant certification. What this suggests is that bears will not get attracted to even the smell of your food when you go picnicking in the woods. Do you want to treat yourself to a solo picnic? There’s a smaller cooler for you in the Pelican Elite 20 Quart Cooler.

Pelican Wheeled Cooler – 45QT Wheeled – Outdoor Tan

Features

Since the year 1976, Pelican Products Inc., has been known for its rugged products that are built to last a lifetime under any condition. With a headquarters in Torrance, California, the company, founded by Dave Parker and his wife Arline, currently has 22 international offices not excluding South Africa and Mexico. The first Pelican product that entered the market was the Pelican Float, then the Legendary SabreLight flashlight. Pelican Products Inc., has not skimped on quality ever since. In 2015, the company divided itself into three distinct divisions: Commercial/Government, Consumer, and Bio Thermal to better serve its ever-diversifying market.

The Pelican Elite Cooler comes with a bear-resistant certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. This helps to keep bears safe and significantly reduce bear-to-human contact by preventing the bears from getting attracted or having access to anthropogenic (human processed as opposed to natural) foods. So, go ahead and take that hike or go for that picnic deep in the woods knowing that no bear can smell your food.

The feet of the cooler are raised and will not leave skid marks. So, your car, your floors, or wherever else this cooler will stay are safe from unwanted marks. It’s made of corrosion-resistant stainless-steel hardware to keep your cooler safe and usable for a long time. Little wonder the makers are bold enough to mention that it’s guaranteed for life.

There are two sizes available for this cool (excuse the pun) product. One has a 45-quart capacity, which measure approximately 29 by 20 by 19 inches on the exterior and 19 by 12 by 12 inches on the interior. The other option, of course, is to go for the 80-quart capacity option. This one measure around 43 by 21 by 20 inches on the outside and 29 by 13 by 13 inches on the inside. If you want even more choice, choose from outdoor tan or marine white.

On the cooler is a sloped drain with an attached plug that can be used to stop the drain; you can decide to attach a garden hose to the drain to efficiently direct the flow of liquid out of the cooler. Further, it comes with a fish scale on the lid for good grip and a built-in bottle opener so you don’t have to bother carrying an extra bottle opener.

Other Pelican wheeled coolers include:

Pelican Elite 20 Quart Cooler: It’s much smaller so you can use it for a smaller gathering, say you and that special someone.

Pelican Elite Soft Cooler: This one is significantly lighter than “hard” coolers.

With the extra insulation in the lid and case, the Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme Wheeled Cooler promises to provide superior cold retention, thereby keeping your food and beverages cold for up to 5 days, under 90 degrees Fahrenheit heat. Would you rather have something smaller and easier to carry around? You should check out the Coleman 75 Quart Xtreme Wheeled Cooler.

Coleman 100 Quart Xtreme Wheeled Cooler

Coleman Wheeled Cooler 6201A748

Features

What happens when a man who can barely read without assistance encounters a bright light coming from a drugstore window? Well, the brand, Coleman happens. W. C. Coleman is the man whose light encounter, way back in 1900, became the beginning of quality outdoor products from Coleman. He discovered that he could read, even the smallest print, under that bright light which was probably because it was powered by pressured gasoline instead of regular coal oil. He decided to start a lighting service. Fast-forward more than 100 years and Coleman delivers a long line of products that spell excellence.

Coleman makes bold to claim that its Coleman Xtreme cooler, with the carrying capacity of 100 quarts (about 95 liters), will keep your food, beverages, and whatever else you can throw in, cold for as long as 5 days under 90 degrees Fahrenheit heat. This means it’s safe to say that this cooler can hold as many things as possible for as long as possible under the right conditions.

In keeping with the agitation against environmental pollution and degradation, Coleman created the ThermOZONETM Insulation which this cooler features. ThermOZONETM insulation is an environment-friendly industry foam that’s free of CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons), HFCs (Hydroflurocarbons), and HCFCs (Hydrochloroflurocarbons) that deplete the ozone layer, emit greenhouse gases, and contribute to global warming. The environment-friendly Coleman Xtreme Cooler happens to have handles on two sides that make it possible to be carried by one or two people if need be. Further, attached to it is a channel for draining out liquid. The channel is rustproof, sure to not leak, and will drain out smoothly without having to tilt it anyway.

Other Coleman wheeled cooler works of art include:

Coleman 75 Quart Xtreme Wheeled Cooler: This is the same Coleman quality but with a smaller carrying capacity.

The Coleman 16 Quart Performance Wheeled Cooler: This one is tall and slender and will fit right in as you roll it into your party.

Coleman 62 Quart Xtreme Wheeled Cooler: This cooler features wheels that are great for any terrain.

Coleman 40 Quart Performance Wheeled Cooler: This one is for the love of something smaller.

The Rubbermaid 60-Quart Wheeled Cooler has a hinged split lid; that is, the lid is divided into two. This allows you to open the cooler from either side and get access to its content without letting all the cold air out. If you’re taking, say, a five-day vacation, you might want to check out the Rubbermaid Extreme 5-Day 75 Quart Wheeled Ice Chest Rolling Cooler. It has a 75-quart carrying capacity and will keep your stuff cool for about 5 days.

Rubbermaid Wheeled Cooler FG2A9002MODBL – Blue – 60-quart

Features

Rubbermaid, the nearly 80-year-old company with a global presence in the house-ware industry, produces everything in the categories of home storage and garage organization, food storage and laundry, bath and cleaning supplies, closet organization and refuse removal. It prides itself in initiating and creating ways to help you organize your life and enjoy it as well. With its “Brand of the Century” recognition, Rubbermaid is said to be one of the 100 companies that impact the American life. It’s got its bases covered with its marketing arm that drives 98.9 percent brand awareness with its customers.

The Rubbermaid Wheeled Cooler has a 60-quart carrying capacity. The lid is split in two and can be opened from either side. This allows you to sneak in or sneak out some things without letting out precious cool air. As a result of this, your food and drinks can be kept cold for about 3 to 4 days. That it has a superior thermal retention also contributes to this laudable feat.

It was constructed in the United States of America and has wheels and comfort-grip handles that can be adapted for any and all terrains; rugged or smooth. Transportation of this cooler is way easy as you can pull it along wherever you go, irrespective of the evenness of the ground. It also has built-in cup holders.

It’s measured at 16.2 inches by 29 inches by 18.2 inches. Further, being resistant to stain and odor means that cleaning won’t be so much of a problem. Without stains or odors, the time taken to clean anything whatsoever is usually cut by half and this cooler gives you that; less time to get it cleaned up and ready to go, especially if you’re on-the-go.

Of course, there are other cool products where this came from, including: